I wish all of them would keep a core set of the most popular skate shoe models in simple colourways in consistent production at a decent price point. Nike are the worse for it releasing a shoe to a huge fanfare then just stopping make it after 6 months. The pro models they do also for the most part are always a bit shit, just seen they’re trying to re-release the Janoski for £90. No one wants these anymore. I don’t have a clue about shoe production but feels like this would be more cost efficient as well rather than having to set up production for a new Lunartech bullshit model multiple times a year. Of course they’re always going to want to show off some new tech but wish the balance was more even with some classic readily available simpler models too.
Vans release some utter shite but at least you can always get slip ons, eras, half cabs, authentics, old skools in simple colourways
Never had any Nike, only time I was tempted was watching Shimizu on That’s life. I do have a pair of orange NB Epic and would like them to bring those back.
On Nike - Stores seem to be saying that unless it is a special drop, it doesn’t sell anymore and even then, each special drop isn’t a guarantee like it used to be. And dunks sit there as @ihatethegeneralpublic mentioned.
But then…I guess if one in five doesn’t sell out right away, you’ve have four which do go which is still solid.
Vans still sells to skaters, apparently. Its just the non skate crowd moved on and Vans didn’t get ready for that so they are haemorrhaging cash with all the weird infrastructure they’ve setup around trying to keep the general public interested.
Cons…barely exist, it seems. Only people I see in them are people who get them for free.
but then NB was like that 2 years ago and now, they are killing it.
There was some biz insider pie chart a couple of years ago and Cons and NB were tiny parts of that pie. Similar sizes to Lakai and Sole Tech stuff…like, 4-5% of the market.
I know the @anonymity graphic above is in reference to NB and Not NB Numeric…but I do think that they’ve had huge growth in the past two years to the point and have taken so much shelf space from Nike and Adi that the 10% there probably now applies to the skate side of NB, too.
But Vans, adi and Nike still dominant by a big margin.
Nike, Cons and Vans shower EVERYONE who is any good with product. And if you are a little bit better than the rest, they give you a little monthly salary.
And you get on with it off of your own back and do all you can to blow up and if you do begin to blow up, they take interest in you and you get paid a bit more.
Keep going, and they begin to take more interest and include you.
NB and other brands don’t have these vast budgets so can’t do this scattershot approach. So, they take a smaller selection of skaters to hook up and from an earlier period begin to invest and include them in marketing their names and building them up in the hope they’ve chosen well and both parties grow together.
It’s actually what Vans used to do too, but they stopped about 10-15 years ago once they reached a certain size.
Because of this, a few things happen when it comes to Nike, Cons, Vans:
You’ll see the low end (unsalaried) change fairly often.
You’ll see the next step (the crew making a couple of hundred a month) stick around pretty much until their career is over and they are cut, waiting on that inclusion which never comes.
You’ll see those with managers/smart heads/friends in the industry shock everyone by leaving because they know they are 23rd in line for any more salary, tour or whatever and can get more shine at a smaller brand.
The century of the self, innit. You gotta look out for you, etc.
The thing about raffles too is yes it hypes up the release but ultimately pisses off customers, Not the best selling tactic in the long run. There must be so many people that have not won one in a year or two. So just think fuck them and move on to a company whose shoes they can actually buy.
Reading this, I just have to add this little anecdote about a “pro” skater from Europe, in his late 30d (read past his prime) that was sponsored by Vans. Always wheeling dealing to maintain that 7 day weekend life. Anyway, one day he finally receives what he thought was his monthly paycheck from Vans (keep in mind this guy ran a good tab), opens the little white office envelope gleefully in front of the skateshop crowd with that “We’re getting fucked up tonight!” swagger. Inside? Just a small handful of free Vans stickers.
In terms of what I’ll see in the street or park I’d say the current era has to be the most varied ever and I actually quite like that, you’ll see Jordan’s skated now, various sole tech, Vans, NB, DC, some Brazilian brand, Last Resort’s and very occasionally some Lakai’s.
I’ve already seen people skating D3’s, that was only a matter of time it seems. This side of things being varied I’m possibly less into but it’s certainly not dull.
Yeah, Osiris seems to be making a UK push. Seem to have hooked up a bunch of Instagram skaters who now have to skate D3s. Running ads in the Skateboarders Companion. Anyone know who’s behind it?
